Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

By Jill Sperling

Seniors Can Move

Seniors practice balance, mobility and strength through gymnastics program

Nov 21, 2019 | 4:41 PM

KAMLOOPS — Every Thursday, a group of seniors gather at the Kamloops Gymnastics Trampoline Centre.

They are six weeks into a ten-week Seniors Can Move program, which has come to Kamloops thanks to a government grant.

While they won’t be performing any cartwheels or backflips, the program teaches people 65 years and older how to get up from a fall, improve coordination, and simply get moving.

“What we’re doing is getting seniors to come in from the community and practice mobility, agility, balance and coordination in a safe and friendly environment,” said Sophia Ewanyshyn, Active Start/Daytime Coordinator with KGTC.

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The Seniors Can Move program is new to the centre.

“Delta Gymnastics, they started this “Seniors can Move” program, and so now it’s just seeing if they can get other clubs interested in the program,” Ewanyshyn said. “So, we applied and then we got selected to do the program here.”

Because the centre has received grant money to run the program, it is completely free to participants.

For Simon Mason, the program is helping him stay active after a neck and back operation.

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

“I kind of got kicked out of physio at the hospital because they only keep you for so long,” he said. “And then I heard this on the radio and so I phoned around and registered.”

Judi Dupont wanted to learn to keep her balance.

“I had a hip replacement operation a year ago and I’m waiting for a new knee so I’ve got to learn to stay upright, and I did wind up needing the hip after a fall, so I wanted to learn to keep my balance,” Dupont said.

For now, it’s unclear whether the program will be offered again.

“I hope they’ll keep it going if they can,” Mason said, “if not, I’ll probably just try to walk around the track. But, this is way better because it gives you more different activities.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today / Jill Sperling

“I hope it keeps going,” Dupont said, “I really do.”

For these current participants, the class has provided a boost of confidence and a collection of new skills.

“People are really unsure when they hear ‘oh, it’s at a gymnastics centre’ and they’re thinking ‘oh, no I could never do that’,” Ewanyshyn said. “But, I think the best way is just to come and try it and see what we do and then you can surprise yourself really to be able to do things that you never thought you could do.”